The patent of H. R. Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,263, granted May 21, 1991, is an example of the literature showing the use of V-grooves in silicon for holding optical fiber in precise alignment with other optical elements of a photonics package. Monocrystalline silicon is used for such purpose because it etches anisotropically; that is, it etches preferentially along predictable crystallographic planes. As a consequence, appropriate masking and etching can be used to provide supporting sidewalls for an optical fiber that are precisely located. The Clark patent shows how other crystallographic planes of the silicon can be used to locate a lens, a photodetector or other element to be maintained in alignment with the optical fiber. The patent of Ackerman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,281, granted Jun. 23, 1992, hereby incorporated herein by reference, is another example of the literature showing the use of V-grooves in silicon for holding an optical fiber in precise alignment with other elements.
It is now apparent that aluminized optical fibers are often preferable for making photonics packages of the type described in the Clark or Ackerman et al. patent, because aluminizing makes the fiber much more rugged. Aluminized optical fiber can be held within a V-groove by epoxy, but it is recognized that the use of such adhesives may constitute a source of contamination within the photonics package. Accordingly, it would be desirable to simplify as much as possible the bonding of aluminized optical fiber to substrates, and also to avoid the use of adhesives.